The Prince and The Hawker

Old Vines is a gem of a restaurant nestled among an Okanagan vineyard. The Okanagan is a wine-producing region in the interior of British Columbia, my home province in Canada. As anybody from the West coast of Canada will tell you, no visit to the Okanagan is complete without some visit to a vineyard. While I don’t really drink, my partner is a veritable connoisseur of wine. So on a recent roadtrip through Kelowna, the largest city in the Okanagan, we had to stop by a few vineyards.

While Mission Hill vineyard is famous in the area as a tourist hotspot, a tip from a friend highlighted Quail’s Gate vineyard which is next door. We had a lovely stroll along the beautiful sloping grounds and then had a 5-variety wine tasting inside the main building. Our sommelier was extremely knowledgeable about the grape varietals, production nuances, and food pairing notes. My partner got on with him really well and you could see the sparkle in both their eyes while conversing about the wine.

Again by our friend’s recommendation, we had booked a table for dinner at Quail’s Gate’s on-site restaurant, Old Vines. We are so glad that we did. This was one of the best meals we had on our roadtrip. The setting was idyllic too.

We arrived quite early at the restaurant for our reservation but the host was happy to seat us as they had a table free on the terrace. Originally, we were planning to dine inside because of the summer heat, but we’re so glad we went with the terrace. Our table was positioned under misters that provided an intermittent refreshing spray. And the view was second-to-none, overlooking the Quail’s Gate vineyard all the way down to the shores of Okanagan Lake.

Our server was very personable and friendly. He took the time walk us through the menu and the wine list. After having lived away from Canada for the better part of a decade, I’m always reminded how genuinely friendly we Canadians are. The menu was extensive and enticing, but after some difficulty, we were able to make our choices.

Time to Eat at Old Vines

My partner and I shared the scallop crudo starter which was served with a strikingly coloured sauce in the center. The scallop was done in a Mexican aguachile style. This brought a soft acidity to the dish that wasn’t overpowering. A contrast of texture was provided with the crunchy rice crackers and cucumber delicately interspersed with the scallops.

We also shared some oysters. The ones served on that day were Kusshi oysters from Vancouver Island. Even though the shells were small, the oysters contained inside were incredibly plump. They were also a good amount of briny, which I prefer. I was glad I could show my partner the quality of oysters available on the Canadian west coast.

For the main dish, my partner had the Sockeye salmon. Sockeye is a species of Pacific salmon native to the west coast of North American. It was served with a sharp Chardonnay apricot glaze, appropriate for a restaurant in a vineyard. The salmon was cooked perfectly, leaving the center just raw. In my opinion, this is the optimal way of savouring Sockeye salmon. A small green salad of kale and green beans was the perfect cooling accompaniment for the warm summer evening.

I had the Dungeness crab ravioli. Simplicity at its best, there’s not much more to say than that from the very first bite, it was “hit-you-in-the-face” crab flavour. Another distinctly Pacific protein, the Dungeness crab is sweet and mild, which worked well packaged up in pasta parcels in this dish.

Of course, we couldn’t pass on dessert. We decided to share two again, and both were excellent. The carrot cake was interesting with its array of textures from sultanas, crumble, sauce, and sorbet.

The grapefruit mousse was a little on the sweet side, so the grapefruit flavour was muted. However, there was also grapefruit infused meringue and a grapefruit gel to make up for it. The macaron served on top was also perfectly crafted.

Final Thoughts on Old Vines

Old Vines is located within Quail’s Gate vineyard in Kelowna. The location is beautiful and situated perfectly for you to combine a meal with visits to vineyards in the area and Quail’s Gate itself.

The food is very well thought out, highlighting a wide range of flavours and ingredients from the local area and around the West coast. Fresh produce and distinctly West coast seafood and proteins fill out the menu. Desserts are excellent too, showcasing excellent combinations of technique and flavour.

With a choice to dine in the large indoor dining room or on the extensive terrace overlooking the vineyard, Old Vines’ friendly service and beautiful setting makes for a great destination meal.